Manufacture of watch-case centers



(NO M del.)

J. .G.,DUEBER. V MANUFAOTURE 0P WATCH GASE GE'NTERS. No. 299,119. Patented May-27, 1884.

Unitas stares tartar Grinch.

JOHN C. 'DUEBER, OF NEIVPORT, KENTUCKY.

MANUFACTURE 0F WATCH-CASE CENTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,119, dated May 2'7, 1884.

Application filed December 21, 1883. (No model.)

To all? whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. DUEBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newport, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Manufacturing Watch-Oase Centers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is an improvement on Letters Patent N 0. 260,747, granted to me July 11, 1882, in which patent the jointbearings of a watch-case are shown and described as being formed by milling away certain surplus metal that is intentionally left around the periphery of said case. It has been demonstrated, however, that essentially the same method of construction may be resorted to for ornamenting the case, instead of limiting the invention to a special process of making joint-bearings. I accordingly construct the band or center with a circumferential bead, molding, or flange, which flange is subsequently notched, 'coved, or scalloped, or otherwise cut or divided so as to break up its continuity. The center, with its integral flange or rib, is preferably punched out of a solid piece of metal, commonly known as a blank, while the surplus material is removed from said flange by means of a milling-tool, which is properly shaped to afford the desired style of ornamentation, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the band or center, with its complete circumferential flange, rib, or bead. Fig.- 2 is another elevation of said band, but showing the flange divided, so as to afford a series of crowning or convex projections. Figs. 3, 4., and 5 show different methods of dividing said flange. .Fig. 6 shows enlarged transverse 7 sections of four different shapes of said flange.

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents the band or center of a watch-case, which band may be made of any suitable metal, and of any desired size. I generally punch the center or band from a solid blank, although said band may be turned over on and shaped up in an ordinary press, as the method of producing this member A is immaterial, provided it is made with an integral flange, rib, collar, bead, or molding, B. This flange extends circumferentially around the band, and is consequently an annulus, whose transverse section may be of any desired shape; but in the present case it is supposed to have the rectangular form shown at B in Fig. 6. A suitable number of these flanged bands or centers A B are mounted on a mandrel, and are then subjected to the action of a milling-tool for the purpose of breaking up the continuity of the rib, bead, or molding B. As seen in Fig. 2, the millingtool is supposed to have so divided the flange, rib, or molding as to produce a series of crowning or convex projections, O, that extend all the way around the center A, except where an interval, D, is left to afford space for attaching the pendant; but, as represented in Fig. 3, the annular flange or rib B is scalloped or concaved at E. Furthermore, in this illustration, the rib is supposed to be ridge-shaped, as more clearly seen at B in Fig. 6. In Fig. 4 the flange B continues uninterrupted, except where it is broken at intervals by ornamental projections F. Fig. 5 shows the flange or rib notched at G, and having extra ornamental projections H I, the former being for the application of the pendant, and the latter for the attachment of the hinges of the case. These projections II I are to be used only with what are generally known as Louis XIV centers.

The above is a description of a few of an almost countless number of ornaments that can be cut from the flange or rib; but whatever style may be adopted, it is evident the annular width of said flange must be equal to or slightly in excess of the projection of the ornament, as my invention does not include any provision for soldering said projecting members to the band or center. In Figs. 1 and 2 the band or center is shown as provided with the customary snaps, J, while in Figs. 3, 4-, and 5 said snaps are omitted, thereby indicating that they can be made either before or after the flange has been ornamented. B in Fig. 6 shows that this flange may be about semicircular in transverse section, while 13 in said illustration represents the semicircular rib provided with a circumferential groove or Valley.

I claim as an improvement on Letters Patent No. 260,747-

1. The withindescribed method of orna; menting watch-case centers or bands, which method consists in making said centers or the periphery of said center, said ornaments 10 bands with an integral annular flange or rib, being integral with said center, substantially and then subdividing said flange, so as to afas herein described.

ford a series of projecting members arranged In testimony whereof I affix my signature in circumferentiaily around said center, substanpresence of two witnesses.

tially as described. 1 J OHN G. DUEBER.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a watch- Witnesses:

case center armed with a series of projecting Jnnns H. LAYMAN,

SAML. S. CARPENKITER.

ornaments extcndin g circumferentiaiiy around 

